The New Nanny
by BroadwayBaggins
Summary: Just a little drabble I whipped up. Can be read as Canon or AU fic. What happens when a new nanny arrives in the wake of Nanny West's disgraced departure? Slight crossover with Doctor Who


**Author's Note: Hey, I'm not dead! This is just a cutesy little drabble I wrote last night when I was feeling down. I'd been toying with the idea of this sort of crossover with Doctor Who for months, and I finally just went and did it. I kept it deliberately ambiguous as to whether this is canon or AU, though, so if you prefer, Matthew and Sybil can just be busy at work and not able to be present for the interview process for the new nanny ;) Hope you enjoy and thank you for your patience with me. I promise I'll be working on stories again soon!**

"Mama, this is getting ridiculous. Exactly how many more applicants are we going to see?" Mary asked with a bit of a pout, almost slouching in her spot on the settee. She, like Tom, was already fed up with the seemingly endless parade of young women who, for reasons still unknown to him, wanted to snap at the chance to raise their children for them. He still didn't fully understand it himself, why a nanny was such a coveted position even in a house like Downton. Why Sybbie even needed a nanny was beyond him. He was her father, for heaven's sake, why should he feel unqualified to care for his own child? She was his daughter, his responsibility. Surely he could raise her just as well as any nanny could, and on those rare occasions when he could not be there for her, she had her family and a small army of servants all ready to cater to her every whim. George was different—he was still so young, and Mary couldn't be with him all the time. But Sybbie was nearly two years old now…surely it was time that the family stepped in to take care of her themselves?

_Not over here, Tom,_ he reminded himself sadly. _You're a part of their world now, and you're stuck here, so you might as well make the best of it._ He glanced over to his sister-in-law and almost smiled. _At least Mary's clearly as miserable right now as I am._

Only Cora seemed unflappable as ever, reaching over to grab the list that Mrs. Hughes had brought. "Just one more today," she said, her voice calm as she sipped her tea. "She comes very highly recommended."

"That's what you said last time, if you recall," Mary said darkly, meaning Nanny West. Tom, who had been crossing the room to refresh his own cup, stiffened at the thought. Cora had not been entirely forthcoming about what had transpired between her and that despicable nanny, but she hadn't needed to. Tom had known almost from the beginning the sort of prejudices his daughter would face, growing up as a child of both England and Ireland…he just had never thought to consider that such hate would come from inside his own house.

Cora gave a quiet little sigh. "I know that this is difficult, I do. But this is our last applicant today. Who knows? This one could be the one."

"And how will we know just who is the right one?" Mary asked exasperatedly.

Cora bit her lip, apparently caught off-guard by the question. "I suppose we'll know her when we see her."

She didn't get to say any more, for at that moment the door opened, revealing Mrs. Hughes and the long-expected applicant.

Tom turned and appraised the young woman. She was perhaps twenty-four years of age, no older—already a welcome change from the hated Nanny West, although he wasn't sure Cora would agree with him on that-and had a bright, friendly face with curious brown eyes that seemed to take in the entire room. She wore a sensible blue dress and her dark brown hair was swept back from her face, and her slightly upturned nose almost made Tom smile. Cora rose to greet the girl and introductions were made, although Tom was hardly paying attention at that point, and the interview began as Mrs. Hughes quietly slipped back out of the room. If the girl was shocked at the fact that the Earl of Grantham's daughter had married an Irish former chauffeur, to her credit, she did not show it. Tom stood in the background, not entirely sure whether he was even welcome here but determined to stay nonetheless. He had not been present when Nanny West had been taken onto the staff, and neither had Mary. That had clearly been a mistake, one that they were both trying their hardest to atone for by being here now, doing the best they could to be a part in the process of hiring the person who, although Tom still had his reservations, would be raising their children.

"Why did you leave your last place of employment?" Cora asked, glancing down at the list of questions she had prepared at Mrs. Hughes' suggestion. She, like her daughter and son-in-law, was determined to be as thorough as possible in the interview process, leaving no stone left unturned. She would _not_ have another Nanny West under her roof if she could help it.

"The children grew up," came the response. The young woman's voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy, but a smile graced her features nonetheless. "The oldest boy is starting at Eton in September, and the littlest is just about old enough to leave the nursery herself. I was only with them for two years, but…"

"You grew attached to them," Mary spoke up, startling them all. Aside from a brief hello, she had not spoken, and was choosing as Tom was to study the woman.

She smiled. "How could I not?"

For the first time since the girl had entered, Tom smiled. There was something about this young woman that he found he liked. She had an easy manner of speaking, polite but true to herself as well, not riddled with false niceties that were the bread and butter of the upper class. She, unlike her predecessor, was quick to smile and to laughter, and the atmosphere of the entire room had grown more relaxed in her presence. A smile was playing at the corners of Cora's mouth, and even Mary looked calmed in the woman's presence. As the interview went on, there was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Hughes appeared with Anna by her side. "Pardon me, Your Ladyship," Mrs. Hughes said as they breezed in. Tom's eyes widened. Anna held George propped on her hip, while Mrs. Hughes lead a cautious Sybbie by the hand. _What in the world..._"I know this is a little irregular," the housekeeper continued, "but I thought I might bring the children by so that they could meet Miss-"

"Da!" Sybbie called, interrupting her. Mrs. Hughes let her go and Tom immediately crouched down, holding his arms out to his little girl as she toddled over to him. "That's it, my darlin'…"

"This is Miss Sybil, then?" the nanny asked as Tom picked up Sybbie and placed her on his own hip, kissing her cheek and breathing in her sweet, warm baby smell. He nodded, and the young woman held her arms out. "May I…"

"What do you think, love?" Tom asked his daughter, who was eyeing the newcomer. "Would you like to make a new friend?" He set Sybbie on the ground, ready to pick her up again and offer any comfort that was necessary. Sybbie glanced up at him, her wide blue eyes asking if it was all right. He nodded. "Go on, love…"

There was movement out of the corner of his eye, and he looked up to see that the young woman whose name he could not remember had knelt down in front of Sybbie just as he had done, holding out her arms. "It's all right, sweet girl," she said softly. "It's all right…"

Tom watched his daughter take one cautious step, and then another, before a wide smile came over her face and she all but rushed into the arms that awaited her. Tom was sold immediately. It had been so long since any of them had seen Sybbie smile like that. _She never took to that West woman like that…children are always the best judges of character. We should have known all along…_Seeing his daughter like that warmed his heart. It was as Cora had said—when they had found the right one, they would know it.

"What was your name again, Miss?" he asked her as she stood up, bouncing a contented Sybbie happily on her hip. The young woman smiled at him, the gesture seeming to light up her whole face.

"It's Clara," she said kindly over Sybbie's delighted babble, shocking them all by extending her free hand for him to shake. "Clara Oswald."


End file.
